While watching the U.S. Open this weekend, I got to thinking about how mobile technology has totally changed learning and playing for the average golfer.
In the old days, golfers would go to a pro and take a lesson. Then days or weeks later they would go to the driving range or play a round of golf and try to implement the new swing techniques. Assuming they still remembered what to do and how to do it, the only real feedback they had was their perceived “feel” for their movements and the actual flight of the ball itself. No wonder the results were often disappointing.
Then instructors started using video technology, where they could record the swing, draw lines on stills, and compare the swing to famous pros. Golfers could be e-mailed the video and review it repeatedly. But they were still on their own when hitting balls.
Now there are inexpensive video apps running on smart phones that do everything those high-priced video systems used to do. Check out v1pro. You can hang a smartphone on your golf bag or have someone in your foursome record your shot. You then analyze your swing right on the spot, review it later, or even send it to a golf pro for review. In addition, phones also have golf GPS apps for use on the course to show you the layout of each hole, give you the locations of hazards, and provide distances from where your ball sits. Bottom line … the smartphone is now a total golf learning and playing solution.
You can see where this is headed. The future of learning at work is going to look just like this learning at play. Mobile devices will teach employees how to do what they need to do. They will help employees analyze their own performance and facilitate coaching. They will also provide employees with the information they need to do the actual job effectively. And just like golf, it will be all be done with one device.
So what is your training approach? Where does mobile fit in your strategic plan? How are you going to use these capabilities to improve performance. It works on the golf course. It can certainly work on the job.